Concrete culvert.



W; N. oosGRovB & G. L. SMITH.

' CONCRETE GULVERT.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 20 1913.

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UNITED sTATEs PATENT ormoni WILLIAM NELsoN cosGRovE AND cron-enLUcIUssMITH, or FARIBAULT,

MINNESOTA. y j

CONCRETE CULVERT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

.Patented May 12, 1914.

Application led October 20, 1913. Serial N o. 796,309.

is to provide aculvert of the nature indicated, the bottom of which isadjustable, and the top of which is removable, in order to permit theculvert to be cleaned when necessary, and in order to permit the bottomto be adjusted between the sides according to the grade of the road,street or the like.

Another object of the present invention i's to provide Va unique top orcover construction for the culvert, which will permit of the expansionof the top or cover, without injurious effects.'

It is also the object of the present invention to provide a culvertwhich may be embedded or planted in the road bed, in order that the topor cover of the culvert may form a crossing between the curbs or. sidesof the road or street, in alinement with the sidewalks.

It is also within the scope of the present invention to provide' aconcrete culvert which shall be comparatively simple, substantial andinexpensive in construction, and which shall be efficient in'its use, aswell as being'capable of ready application to the road bed or the like.y

With the foregoing general objects outlined, and with other objects inview, which will be apparent as the nature of the invention is betterunderstood, the present invention resides in the combination andarrangement of partsA and in the details of lconstruction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it

. beingunderstood that changes in the precise embodiment of theinvention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what isclaimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention has beenillustrated in its preferred embodiment in theaccompanying drawing, wherein ,Figure l is a plan view of the culvert asl appliedto a street, between the sidewalks,

so as to form a crossing. Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmental View of theculvert, p0rtions shown in full, and portions beingshown in section.Figs. 8, t and 5 aresectional views taken on the lines v3-3, 1c-1 and 55 of Fig. 2,'respectively. f

In. carrying out the present invention, there areprovided concrete sidesl, which are preferably vintegral throughout the" length of the conduit,and which may be reinforced, if desired. The sides l are c onnected bystay or separating bars 2, which have their ends bent angularly andanchored within the sides l, adjoining the upper and lower edges ofthe-sides. The lower stays 2 lare preferably flush with the lower edgesof t-he sides 1,' while the upperv stays 3 are spaced slightly below theupper edges of the vsides,'it being evident that the stays 2 will.

securely hold the sides in position with respe'ct to each other. Thebottom. 3 is also l constructed of concrete, and is preferablyconstructed of a number' of sections placed end`to end, the bottomhaving its upper surface concaved transversely, and a transverselyconcaved lining or flooring 4 being preferably placed upon the bottomk3. The

bottom 3 is disposed snugly between thel sides 1, and is free to beadjusted vertically between the sides, in order that the bottom may beplaced at the proper slope desired, according to the grade of the roador street.

The top or cover embodies a plurality ofI 'i sections 5 placed end toend, upon the sides 1, each of the sections 5 having a depending portion6 intermediate its side edges and litting between the upper edgeportions ofA the sides l to lock the sections 5 against transversemovement with respect to the culvert, as a whole.

The end ,sections 5, and the sides 1 are l edges of the sides 1adjoining the ends of the sides.

The adjoining ends of the cover or top sections 5 are spaced slightlyapart` and the gaps or spaces between the ends of the sections 5 are`closed by compressible paclrings 9 seated upon the sides, which arepreferably yof some ibrous material, such as soft Wood or the like. Theupper cross bars 'orstays 2 are preferably disposed directly below thejoints betweenthe cover sections 5 so as to assist in supporting thepacking strips 9. The cover sections 5 are each provided with pipesections or sockets 10 embedded within their side edges, -to permit thecovery sections to be lifted or raised by means of a crow bar orother'suitabl'e implement..

In practice, the sides 1 of the culvert are yplaced Within a cross ditchwhich is provided `for the reception of the culvert, and

The coversections 5 are arranged to be flush with the surface of theroad bed, and

are preferably corrugated longitudinally of the culvert, in order thatthe cover sections may serveas a crossing for pedestrians.

The 'fibrous packing strips 9 will permit the cover sections to expandand contract, Without injurious effects, and without open'- ing theculvert, the packing strips excluding' sand, dirt, and the like, due totraffic ov,er the culvert. The present culvert will be safe under thetraiiic, and Will serve as an effective conduit `between the gutters"along the sides of thevroad, as is obvious. It is evident that theintermediate cover sections 5 are free to slide longitudinally upon thesides l, to ermit the cover sections intermediate the end) sections toadjust themselves as they eX- pand and contract, the end cover sectionsbeing anchored to the sides to prevent their displacement.

The cover sections 5 may be readily removed for cleaning out theculvert, and 'for readjusting the bottom, which may be necessary ingrading the road.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimedas new is 1. Aculvert embodying concret-e sides, stays having their ends anchored tothe sides along their upper and lower edges, a concrete bottoniadjustably disposed between the sides ,above the lower stays, and aremovable concrete top disposed upon the sides.

2. In a culvert, concrete sides, stay bars connecting the sides, a,sectional concrete cover disposed upon the sides, and packing stripsdisposed between the cover sections, cert-ain of the stay bars beingdisposed directly under the .packing strips to support the same.

In testimony that -We claim the foregoing as ourilown, We have heretoailixedonr signatures in the presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM NELSON COSGROVE. GEORGE LUCIUS SMITH. Witnesses:

EMMA E. HEALY, HENRY A. DUci-rARME.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve centsreach, by addressingthe. Commissioner of Tatents, Washington, ZD. C.

